Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

Driving?!

10 replies

Kayano · 02/02/2012 13:40

I'm 38 weeks and my mum and cousin are :O that I drive to the shop...

They are amazed I went to the shop at all.
My cousin does not drive but has tried to tell me I am breaking the law.

Really? I need to drive DH to work tomorrow as I need to nip to the supermarket.

Should I not drive at all? They have totally thrown me

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

FelixDaSouza · 02/02/2012 13:42

I drove up until the day I gave birth! Totally normal to keep doing it as far as I'm concerned.

What do they think will happen to you?

LunaticFringe · 02/02/2012 13:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BlingLoving · 02/02/2012 13:48

As long as you are comfortable, you can drive. I was v glad we had an automatic by the end!

QED · 02/02/2012 13:53

I drove up until the day before I gave birth - needed to drive myself to the hospital to have a sweep at 40+3. Didn't drive myself when I was in labour though

FlipFantasia · 02/02/2012 14:02

I actually passed my driving test at about 37 weeks pregnant! Reckon he only passed me as I was so massive he thought I'd go into labour if he failed me!

Seriously, no problem with driving when heavily pregnant. If you have a c-section birth then you have to recover before you can drive again (rule of thumb is six weeks but depends on your insurer).

I'd ignore them re things like going to the shop. What are you supposed to do, sit at home until the baby comes? You'd go stir crazy! Just go wherever you want to go and enjoy these last weeks before your baby arrives

llamallama · 02/02/2012 14:05

I was physically able to drive till very late in my pregnancy but once I got to about 36 weeks my mum scared me off driving. My bump was quite large by this point (as you would expect) and my mum wasn't worried so much about my driving ability but the decreasing amount of space between my bump & the steering wheel. She basically thought I would be putting the baby at risk should anyone crash into me!

TimothyClaypoleLover · 02/02/2012 14:49

Kayano, your mum and cousin are talking shit. Of course you can drive when heavily pregnant. I even drove myself to the hospital when my waters broke for a check up to see if I was having contractions or not. Just made sure I had lots of towels in the car!!

Original poster

Kayano · 02/02/2012 14:51

I thought they were talking shit because my bus driver dad (and
Trainer/ highway code expert) was looking like this at my mum behind her back

He is to chicken to speak up though lol

OP posts:

EdithWeston · 02/02/2012 14:53

You can drive for as long as you can fit behind the wheel and in your seat belt.

Just don't do it if you think you might be in early labour, as it's totally impossible to concentrate on anything else during a contraction, and you really don't want to be in even a minor collision then.

Check with your insurance company about whether they require a medical clearance post-delivery, and don't drive until you are sure you are covered.

boohome · 02/02/2012 15:26

I've never heard anything about it being illegal to drive when heavily pregnant.

I stopped driving after my waters broke (at 33 weeks), as I was at increased risk of going into labour early, and didn't want to be worrying about getting contractions behind the wheel.

If you're feeling well and can fit into the drivers seat okay, I wouldn't worry about it, certainly not for short trips.

Flip